The present invention relates to a safety extremely having a novel striking surface, particularly one which is extemely difficult for operation by children. It is well known that matchbooks containing unused matches are frequently left in households and other areas where they are readily accessible to young children. The striking surface of the conventional matchbook is generally located on an outside portion of the cardboard cover. Young children have the motor coordination to ignite the matches by striking them across the exposed striking surface. It is desirable that means be provided for preventing young children from intentionally or accidentally igniting matches for obvious reasons.
In the past various safety matchbooks have been proposed in which the striking surface is made less susceptible to use by young children. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,184 issued to K. E. Olson, the cardboard blank is folded so as to provide a tubular chamber having a striking surface along the inside of the chamber. The match head is partially inserted into either end of the chamber, pressure applied to the outside of the chamber and the match withdrawn, thereby igniting the match. The chamber of Olson need not be deformed in any manner in order to receive the match. The size of the chamber, being larger than the width of the match head prior to insertion, aside from allowing easy lighting of the match, allows oxygen to be available in the chamber during the striking operation. This may cause flare ups or ignition of the match within the chamber, possibly igniting the entire matchbook.
In the present invention, a hole is formed in one side of a chamber. The striking surface is within the chamber. The end of the match opposite the head is inserted within the hole until the end extends outside one end of the chamber. The match is bent below the head so that if it is attempted to insert the match head within the hole in the side of the chamber the match will bend.
In an alternate embodiment a chamber is formed by appropriately folding the matchbook blank. The striking surface is contained within the chamber and the match head is inserted at one end of the chamber. Prior to insertion of the match head within the chamber, however, it is necessary first to deform the shape of the chamber so as to permit the match head to fit within it. In the preferred embodiment the chamber is generally oval and the ends of the chamber must be pressed together to impart a generally circular shape to the chamber prior to the insertion of the match head. The match immediately below the head is weakened by scoring or bending slightly so that if the match head is attempted to be forced into the chamber prior to the chamber being deformed, the portion of the match above the weakened portion will bend the match preventing its subsequent insertion in the chamber.
The foregoing will become more clearly apparent from the following description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.